Portable biller



P. R. LEMPKE PORTABLE BILLER Oct. 16, 1934.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 16. 1932 INVENTOR.

PAUL. 2. LEMPKE/ W M M ATTORNEYS.

Oct. 16, 1934. R, LEMPKE 1,976,852

PORTABLE BILLER Filed Feb. 16. 1932 2 SheetsSheet 2 12 I I INVENTOR.

PAUL. l2. LEIV/PKE, M, (2 1%!1 1614,

A TTORNEYS.

atented st. 16, 1934 on STATES American Sales Book Company,

Limited,

Toronto, Ontario, Canada, a corporation of Ontario, Canada Application February 16, 1932, Serial No. 593,231

v 20 Claims. (Cl. 282-42) This invention relates to improvements in record devices, and more especially, in some of its details it relates to improvements in record devices of the autographic register type and being portable in nature so as to be readily carried from place to place or held by the operator while using the same for manual inscription of records upon the record strips It is a general object of the invention to provide a record device of the'character mentioned which not only is portable in nature, but is practical for being held in the hand. during the writing operations and also for controlling the record strips and holding them securely in position, and

l5 besides, is simple in structure and operation and relatively inexpensive in production costs.

Another object of the invention is to provide in machines of the class mentioned'a simple and practical record strip retaining and controlling mechanism susceptible of easy and effective control and functioning to control the record strips and to retain them in correct writing position so as. to avoid any slight movements thereof which might interfere with the rapidity and ease of making the inscriptions or with the legibility thereof.

Still another object of the invention'is to pro-' to engage in apertures arranged in one or more.

longitudinal series along the strips.

According to an important feature of the invention, strip controlling or steadying plates or bars are arranged at opposite sides of the strip path for engagement with opposite strip surfaces, being mounted and controlled for retaining the 4.0 s '"ips in writing position, for lifting the strips to permit of advancement thereof, for providing ample space for grasping the forward ends of the strips for moving them forwardly, for'facilitating threading or loading strips into the Writing 5 apparatus, and for regulating the advancement of the strips to bring difierent forms into writing position, and assuring the entry of the controlling pins into the strip apertures, and for other purposes. y

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved manual control for the record strip controlling mechanism, whereby the manipulation of the record strips is greatly facilitated, the operator being able by very simple movement of one hand to release the strips from their writing position and to pull them forwardly to bring the next succeeding form into writing position.

Another object of the invention is to provide in record devices, a simple improved arrangement for controlling the forward movement of the rec- 0rd strips over the strip controlling pins Without undue pressure of the strips against the ends of the pins, this being accomplished in the embodiment shown by a differential pressure device.

Other objects of the invention will be in part, '55

pointed out in the following detailed description of an illustrative but preferred embodiment of the invention and will in part be obvious in connection therewith The invention accordingly comprises the feat0 tures of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts, which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth and the scope of the application of Which will be indicated in the claims.

Forfmore complete understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference is had to thedetailed description below and to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a portable record device of the autographic register type embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof;

Fig. '3 is a rear elevation, parts being broken away and in section;

Fig. 4 is a vertical'longitudinal section substantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary enlarged plan with parts removed and in section.

Referring to the drawings for a detailed description of the embodiment of the invention there shown, the record device or machine embodies a casing generally designated 10 to which the operative elements are connected. Although 95 this casing may be of varied construction and of different materials, it is preferably made of sheet material such as sheet metal and may vary in size, shape and proportions. It is preferably formed with an interior compartment 11 and an overlying platen plate 12 beneath which the record supply 13 may be housed and protected in the compartment. The record as shown, preferably includes one or a plurality of record strips 14 of the long continuous traveler type zigzag folded along successive transverse lines into the supply package 13. These record strips preferably have blank forms arranged in longitudinal series therealong for the reception of the inscriptions and are also formed with con- 11c trolling apertures 15. These apertures as shown, may be arranged in two series along each strip, one aperture of each series being positioned in each record sheet or form leaf whereby the blank forms of the form leaves are in writing position upon the platen, when the apertures are engaged by the strip controlling and retaining apparatus. In the form of record supplies shown, each form leaf or sheet is defined at its ends by two adjacent fold lines upon which the strip is folded into the supply pad, although it will be under stood that this arrangement may be varied.

At the rear end of the casing is a door 16 for the supply compartment housing which is shown as being pivoted at 17 for outward swinging movement. In order to open the passageway to the supply compartment, the upper or free end of the door 16 may be swung outwardly and downwardly. The side walls of the casing are preferably formed with reinforcing ribs 18 which may be, as shown, formed by pressing or olfsetting the metal inwardly to provide interior ribs preferably extending upwardly and downwardly across the side walls. When formed in this manner, these ribs also provide guiding supports for the supply pad, being positioned-to contact with the edges of the latter so as to guide it into position in the compartment and to retain it in its final position.

At the upper rearward part of the casing, there is an exit passageway 19 through which the record strips emerge into writing position upon the platen Next to this passageway the rearward part of the platen is formed with a transverse checking edge or detent 20 preferably extending throughout the length of the-passageway for engagement with the record strips for the full width thereof, and functioning to check and retain the strips in writing position upon the platen as more fully described below. At its upper edge, the door 16 is provided with a forwardly extendin guiding flange 21 positioned slightly above the checking edge 20 and terminating a short distance forwardly of said edge.

This guiding flange thus serves to guidethe record strips in their course from the supply compartment to bend or turn quite sharply about the checking edge. The passageway 19 preferably extends rearwardly to the end of r the platen so as to be opened when the door 16 is swung away from closed position thus facilitating threading of the record strips through the passageway when loading the machine.

Positioned toward the forward end of the platen are additional strip controlling devices designed not only to control the forward movements of the strips, but also to maintain them in alignment with each other, both laterally and longitudinally, and to secure them in writing position. This arrangement includes the upstanding controlling pins 22 having freeupper ends and positioned for, entering the apertures 15 in the record strips. There are preferably two of 'these pins spaced apart laterally, the

same as the lateral spacing of the apertures 15.

These pins may be mounted in position by extending them through apertures in the top plate.

and providing the internal heads 23.

Also adjacent to the controlling pins 22 is a lower controlling plate 24 and an upper controlling plate 25. These controlling plates or bars are preferably positioned one over another and extend laterally of the machine across the longitudinal path of the record strips, preferably being provided with apertures 26 aligned with each other for the reception of the pins 22. The lower plate 24 is preferably positioned close to the top plate 12, while plate lies closely against the lower plate, and the course or path of the record strip is positioned between these plates. The rearward edge of the upper plate may be bent upward as indicated at 27 to provide a strip guide, while the rearward edge of the lower plate is positioned in the vicinity of the guide 27 so as to form a guiding entrance or throat in which the record strips are received, thus aiding in threading the strips into position and in guiding them during their forward movement.

Both of the controlling plates 24 and 25 are movably mounted and the mounting is arranged so that the two plates move in parallelism with each other from the strip clamping position as shown in Fig. 4. In other words, these two plates move together for a certain limited distance while maintaining their parallel relation with each other, and for this limited distance they remain in contact with the record strips. After the common or'limited movement of the plates has been completed, one plate then moves ahead of the other, as more fully described below and shown in Fig. 4. A convenient manner of mounting these plates is provided by the depending end supporting plates 28 for the top bar 25 and r by the depending supporting plate 29 for the lower bar 24. These supporting plates have rearward extensions 30 and 31 movably supported by the transverse supporting bar 32 mounted in the casing. The upper and lower controlling bars or plates 24 and 25 are thus mounted for pivotal or concentric movement so as to maintain them in parallelism with each other during the common movement thereof. This function maintains the contact of the plates upon the strips uniform. The dependingend supporting plates 28 are positioned to form guides for the longitudinal strip edges, thus aiding in maintaining the strips in correct. position laterally of the machine. Also, the lower plate 24 is provided with extensions 33 each positioned to extend laterally adjacent to and slightly beyond the supporting extensions 28 as best'shown in Fig. 5. These extensions 33 not only serve to guide the edges of the strips and to prevent them from being drawn downwardly and injured during forward movement, but they serve also as actuating lugs for eifecting positive elevation of the lower plate'24 as later described. The lower controlling plate 24 is actuated by means of a stressed spring 34 which may be connected to the extension 31 being stressed to tend to move the plate 24 into elevated position. The extension 31 is also formed with a stop lug 35 positioned for engagement with the plate 12 to limit upward movement of the plate 24. This stop is arranged to check the plate 24 when it has reached position substantially even with the upper ends of the pins 22. The record strips are thus lifted into position to clear the apertures thereof from engagement with the pins.

In the embodiment shown, spring controlled mechanism is also provided for operating the upper or pressure plate 25. This mechanism includes the operating lever 36 pivoted to the casing at 3'7 and to the depending supporting plate 28 at 38. There may be two of these levers 36, as shown, one being connected to each of the supporting plates 28. Also these levers may be integrally formed with the manual operating plate 39 projected at the forward end of the machine in convenient position for operating access. A stressed operating spring 40 is connected to the operat-' ing levers 36 being stressed to urge the operating plate 39 upwardly and thus to move the pressure plate 25 downwardly into clamping contact with the record strips. It will thus be observed that the springs at 34 and 40 are opposed to each other, one tending to move the plate 24 upwardly, while the other tends to move the other plate downwardly. However, the spring 40 is normally considerably stronger than the spring'34 so as to overcome the latter and force the plate 24 downwardly against the top plate 12 substantially in strip retaining condition. An important function of this differential action upon the controlling plates 24 and 25 is later referred to.

Referring to Figs. 4 and 5, it will be seen that the end supporting plates 28 are provided with lugs 41 positioned to underlie the plate extensions 33 of the lower controlling plate 24. These lugs 41 are positioned to engage with the extensions 33 to positively raise the lower plate 24 when the upper plate is raised manually. However, the lugs 41 do not engage the extensions 33 until after considerable movement of the upper plate 25, there being considerable free movement of the lug 41 before the plate 24 is actuated by this agency. The lugs 41 are positioned so that the lower or strip lifter plate 24 will have been elevated to its final position substantially even with the tops of pins 22 when the upper plate is fully raised, as indicated in the dot and dash positions of Fig. 4. In this position the stop lugs 35 will become active to check further upward movement of t e lifter plate 24. By virtue of the operating lugs 41, it will be noticed that the strip lifter plate 24 will be raised to strip lifting position even though the spring 34 may, for some reason, fail to perform this function.

Although the manifolding device is well adapted for accommodating supplies embodying continuous interleaved transfer or carbon strips, it is often desirable to utilize separately supported transfer strips. Accordingly, a transfer strip supply housing 42 is positioned at one'side of the machine from which the carbon sheets 43 extend transversely over the platen 12. As shown, this housing embodies a plate attached'to the side of the machine and bent to provide the housing with an upwardly disposed passageway 44 through which the record strips emerge. An end plate 45 provides a closure for one end of the housing, while a movable plate 46 closes the opposite end.

This movable plate 46 is conveniently mounted upon the end door 16 so as to open the transfer sheet housing when the door 16 is in opened position.

lainping bars 47 are pivotedto the forward end of the machine at 48 extending rearwardly in position for clamping the carbon sheets 43 in position adjacent to the longitudinal edges of the platen. The rearward ends of these clamping bars are provided with latch formations 49 for engagement with latch lugs 50 on the door 16. Thus, when the clamping bars are in clamping position they function also as retaining latches for the door 16. In order to provide for free traveling movement of the record strips and to minimize interference thereof by the' transfer sheets 43, guides 51 are preferably provided extending longitudinally at each longitudinal margin of the platen 12. The transfer strips 43 pass over the guides 51 which thus function to support said strips slightly above the platen thus providing additional room for the accommodation of the record strip. Interference with the move-' ment of the record strips and damage thereof and of the transfer strips are thus avoided. These guides 51 may be conveniently formed as shown, merely by bending the sheet metal of the casing, thus providing a simple and inexpensive as well as a practical construction.

A detachable extension rest 52 may be attached to the door 16 by means of headed lugs 53 adapted to be seated in keyhole slots '54 formed in the door 16. This rest may be very conveniently and simply made of sheet material bent to form the rest stiffening marginal flanges 55 and a down turned supporting flange 56 to which the headed lugs are attached. The rest may thus be readily installed in position or removed. It may be found desirable to install this rest in cases where it is necessary to write upon the blank forms near the lower ends thereof, whereupon the rest functions to steady the hand of the writer. In cases where the blank forms are not inscribed near the lower ends, the rest can be omitted, thus reducing the size and weight of the device.

The operation of the improved record device will be understood from the foregoing description by those skilled in the art and may be summarized as follows:

In loading the machine, the record strips 14 are placed one at a time upon the platen and the transfer strips 3 placed in interleaving transfer position therewith. In placing the record strips with their apertures in engagement with the pins 22, the controlling plates 24 and 25 are raised to the dot and dash position of Fig. 4 by pressing downwardly'upon the operating plate 39. 'When the plates are thus positioned, there is ample space for inserting the ends of the record strips between-them, due to the fact that the plates are then positioned considerable distance apart.

tion against the lowerplate 24. Since the spring 40 is considerably stronger than spring 34, the

plate 24 will be forced into its lowermost position and the pins will be en aged with the strip apertures. The strips are thus clamped at their forward ends and maintained against movement during entry of inscriptions. the record strips are engaged rearwardly thereof by the checking edge 20, additionally supporting the strips in position.

When the inscription is completed on a set of form sheets, the plate 39 is again depressed, thus raising the upper pressure plate 25 to release the pressure upon the strips and at the same time raising the strip lifter plate 24 to lift the strips from pin engagement, thus releasing the strips to forward movement. Since the pressure plate 25 is pivoted rearwardly thereof, this upward swinging movement displaces it toward the rear, thus providing plenty of space for grasping the forward ends of the record strips which are now in released condition. The lower plate 24 may be formed with a recess 57 and the casing may be also cut away to provide space for gripping the forwardly projecting strip ends. It will be noticed that the operating plate 39 is positioned near to the plates 24 and 25 and to the forward ends of the strips whereby the operator is enabled to release the strips and to grasp them and pull them forwardly with a simple movement of one hand.

As the strips are moved forwardly, the operating plate 39 may be released permitting the controlling plates 24 and 25 to descend as above de- At the same time;

scribed. During this action, the record strips will ride upon the tops of the pins 22 because the strip apertures are now disaligned with the pins. However, the pressure of the strips upon the pin ends will be the differential of the strength of the two opposing springs 40 and 34. Therefore, due to this differential action, the pin pressure upon the strips is relatively light and unobjectionable, avoiding tearing or other injury of the strips, yet pressing the strips against the pins, sufficiently to cause pin entry into the apertures when the latter come into pin alignment. The strips are thus controlled and aligned and checked in finally aligned position upon the platen.

Also, as the strips are pulled forwardly, they are caused to turn about the checking edge 20 by the guiding flange 21. Thus, when the crease or fold in the strips comes into engagement with the checking edge, said strips are checked and aligned in writing position. When the strips have been thus pulled forwardly a form length the projecting inscribed parts may be severed using the forward edge of the plate 25 as a tearing edge.

Since certain changes may be made in the above construction and difierent embodiments of the in vention I could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having described my invention, what I claim is new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a record device, in combination, a platen, a differential pressure record strip regulator ineluding upper and lower movably mounted strip engaging plates between which the record strips pass, a strip engaging pin adjacent to and separately mounted from said strip engaging plates for engagement with strip apertures arranged along the strips and means for simultaneously and separately moving said plates for controlling the strips.

2. In a record device, in combination, a platen,

a diiierential pressure record strip regulator including upper and lower strip engaging plates positioned in frictional engagement with opposite strip faces and between which the record strips pass, both of said upper and lower strip engaging plates movably mounted, and means for moving said plates to and from operative positions against opposite strip faces.

In a record device, in combination, a platen, a record strip regulator including upper and lower strip engaging plates positioned in frictional engagement with opposite strip faces and between which the record strips pass, and a plurality of biasing means of different strength urging said plates together into strip engaging 1 position against opposite strip faces.

4. In a record device, in combination, a platen, a record strip regulator including upper and lower strip engaging plates between which the record st pass, a strip engaging pinadjacent said strip engaging plates for engagement with strip apertures arranged along the strips, and a plurality of biasing means of different strength urging said plates together into strip engaging position.

5. In a record device, in combination, a platen, a record strip regulator including upper and lower strip engaging plates between which the record strips pass, a strip engaging pin adjacent said strip engaging plates for engagement with strip apertures arranged along the strips, a plurality of biasing means of different strength urging said plates together into strip engaging position, and

means urging the record strip during advancement thereof against said pin with a force substantially equal to the differential strength of said biasing means.

6. In a record device, in combination, a platen, a strip engaging movable pressure bar for controlling a record strip, a strip engaging pin for entering strip apertures and positioned for engagement with a recess in said bar and having an outer strip engaging end, biasing means for urging said pressurebar into strip engaging position and for pressing the advancing strip against said pin end, and means for relieving the pressure of the advancing strip against said pin end.

7. In a record device, in combination, a platen, a strip engaging movable pressure bar for controlling a record strip, astrip engaging pin for entering strip apertures and positioned for engagement with a recess in said bar and having an outer strip engaging end, biasing means for urging said pressure bar into strip engaging position and for pressing the advancing strip against said pin end, a second movably mounted bar positioned beneath said pressure bar at the opposite side of the strip from the latter, and means for moving said second bar toward the pressure bar to partially overcome said biasing means and thus relieving the pressure of the advancing strip against said pin end.

8. In a record device, in combination, a platen, 1.

a strip engaging movable pressure bar for corn trolling a record strip, a strip engaging pin for enteringstripapertures and positioned for engagement with a recess in said bar and having an outer strip engaging end, biasing means for urging said pressure bar into 5 rip engaging position and for pressing the advancing strip against said pinend, a second movably mounted bill positioned beneath said pressure bar at the opposite side of the strip from the latter, and means for moving said second car to lift the strip to clearing position and to release the pressure bar from strip cooperative position.

9. In a record device, in combination, a platen,

a strip engaging movable pressure bar for con- 1 trolling a record strip, a strip engaging pin for entering strip apertures and positioned for ongagement with a recess in said bar and having an outer strip engaging end, biasing means for urging said pressure bar into strip engaging po- 1 sition and for pressing the advancing strip against said pin end, a second movably mounted positioned beneath said pressure bar at the opposite side of the strip from the latter, means for moving said second bar toward the pressure car to partially overcome said biasing means and thus relieving the pressure of the advancing strip against said pin end, and means for moving said second bar to lift the strip to pin clearing position and to release the pressure bar from strip cooperative position.

l0. In a record device, in combination, a pressure clamping bar for retaining strips in inscription position, a strip aperture engaging p adfacent said bar, and a strip lifter for lifting the strip to pin clearing position when the pressure on said bar is released. I

11. In a record device, in combination, a pressure clamping bar for retaining strips in inscription position, a strip aperture engaging pin adjacent said bar, a strip lifter, and operating connections for releasing said clamping bar and moving said lifter to move the strip into pin clearing position. a

a rec rd device, in ombination, a p

sure clamping bar for retaining strips in inscription position, a strip aperture engaging pin adjacent said bar, a strip lifter, operating connections for releasing said clamping bar and for releasing said lifter to operative movement, and a spring for operating said lifter upon said release thereof to move the strip to pin clearing position.

13. In a record device, in combination, a pressure clamping bar for retaining movable strips in inscription position, a strip aperture engaging pin adjacent said bar, a strip lifter for lifting the strip to pin clearing position when the pressure on said bar is released, said pressure bar and said lifter being mounted in juxtaposition with each other at opposite sides of the strip path, and means for mounting said bar and litter for simultaneous movement in their strip engaging relation.

14. In a record device, in combination, a controlling pin for a movable strip and two concentrically pivoted strip controlling plates adjacent said pin and in juxtaposition with each other at opposite sides of the strip path.

5. In a record device, in combination, a conolling pin for a movable strip, two strip controlg plates positioned toward the forward end of tire device adjacent said pin and in juxtaposition with e ch other at opposite sides of the strip path, said plates being pivoted to the device rearwardiy of the plates whereby the latter are displaced rearwardly when upwardly swung, and a manually operable element positioned at the forward end of the device in juxtaposition to and forwardly of said controlling plates and operatively connected to the latter for raising the same.

16. In a record device, in combination, a controlling pin for a movable strip, two movably mounted strip controlling plates adjacent said pin and in juxtaposition with each other at opposite sides or" the strip path, and means for moving said plates in the same direction in a different degree to lift the strip to pin clearing position and to provide an enlarged strip passageway between the plates.

1?. In a record device, in combination, a controlling pin for a movable strip, two movably mounted strip controlling plates adjacent said pin and in juxtaposition with each other at opposite sides of the strip path, means for moving said plates in the same direction in a different degree to lift the strip to pin clearing position and to provide an enlarged strip passageway between the plates, depending plate supporting extensions spaced laterally of the strip path and serving as guides for opposite strip edges, a rearwardly disposed transverse strip checking edge, and a strip guiding flange adjacent said checking edge positioned to guide the strip to turn about said edge.

18. In a record device, in combination, a casing having a record supply compartment and a platen, a compartment cover at one end of the casing, a transfer sheet supply housin at one side of the casing, pivoted transfer sheet clamping bars at opposite sides of the casing and having latching engagement with said cover to hold the latter in closed position, a housing closure carried by said cover and movable therewith to open and close said supply housing, and longitudinally extending transfer sheet guides positioned along opposite longitudinal platen margins and rising above the writing surface of the platen to guide and support the transfer sheet slightly above said writing surface.

19. In a device of the character described, in combination, a pressure strip clamping device for clamping a movable strip, a strip controlling pin positioned adjacent said clamping device and positioned for engagement with the movable strip, and means cooperating with said clamping device for pressing the strip against the pin with a pressure less than that exerted upon the strip by said pressure clamping device.

20. In a record device, in combination, a platen and a record strip regulator including movably mounted strip engaging plates positioned in frictional engagement with opposite strip faces and between which the record strips pass, a strip controlling element' positioned adjacent said plates for engagement with the-moving strips, and a plurality of biasing means of different strength urging said plates together against opposite strip faces and urging the moving strips against said controlling element.

' PAUL R. LEMPKE. 

